Walnut Growing in Oregon :: WEIGHTS, KERNEL AND TASTE

WEIGHTS, KERNEL AND TASTE

The first Walnut Show was held at McMinnville, November 1, 1907, and was judged by H. M. Williamson, Secretary of the State Board of Horticulture. Most of the following memoranda on weights are taken from his report:

James Morrison, Franquette	32	to	the	pound
F. W. Myers, Mayette	34	"	"	"
F. W. Myers, Seedling	35	"	"	"
James Morrison, Seedling Franquette	42	"	"	"
James Morrison, Grafted Mayette	38	"	"	"
D. H. Turner, Seedlings	42	"	"	"
James Morrison, Blanche Mayette	34	"	"	"
James Morrison, Grenoble Mayette	32	"	"	"
D. H. Turner, Parry	48	"	"	"
Mayette Shaped Praeparturiens	64	"	"	"
R. P. Ungerman, Seedlings	50	"	"	"
Bland Herring, Praeparturiens	38	"	"	"
Bland Herring, Bijou	22	"	"	"
Pleasant Cozine, Seedlings	42	"	"	"
Casey tree, Seedling	55	"	"	"
E. Estes, fourth generation from Casey tree	52	"	"	"
Thos. Prince Seedling	40	"	"	"
Derr Tree, Parry	60	"	"	"

The investigations in regard to relative weights of kernel and shell of the different varieties is made up from an article read by Mr. Ferd Groner before the State Horticultural Society, December, 1909.

The Vrooman Franquette shell and kernel weighed equal.

The Payne Seedling gave slightly more kernel than shell.

The Mayette slightly more shell than kernel.

The Meylan, shell and kernel equal.

The Gladys, shell and kernel equal.

Franquette, near Salem, shell weighed two and one-half times that of kernel.

Other experiments show that the Praeparturien shell and kernel are about equal.

While the weight of the kernel is of great importance to the consumer, the taste and digestibility is still more so. In this is the food value of the walnut. The food value will in time be the commercial value. There is very little variation in the taste of any one variety of wild nuts or fruits, but the cultivated walnut, as well as the cultivated peach and apple, has a great variety of tastes, and it does not require an expert to distinguish the good from the poor qualities.

Walnuts should be graded as to variety, the varieties should then be graded as to size, but the paramount duty of the grower is to produce a creamy, delicious walnut of excellent flavor. The soil and climate has proven their excellence, and it is now for the intelligent grower to do his part.

Clyx.com